Threat postures or threat display is a type of display behaviour aiming at intimidation of a potential enemy. It may be directed at a rival of the same species (in tournament species), or at a potential threat from a different species.
The competitive advantage of threat display lies in overstating one's aggressive potential and thus increasing the chances that the opponent chooses to flee (fight-or-flight response). The opposite strategy is submission, behaviour aiming at understating one's aggressive potential in order to dissuade the opponent from attacking.